Belaroma Coffee Roasting Company's head trainer and brand ambassador, Scottie Callaghan, has taken out top honours at the 2010 Australasian Specialty Coffee Association's Australian Barista Championships.

"I'm absolutely thrilled to have won, all the hard work over the past few months has paid off," he said.
 
Held on the Gold Coast from January 29 to 31, competing baristas were given 15 minutes to create an espresso, a cappuccino and a signature coffee and then have them tasted by four judges.

It was Callaghan's signature coffee that impressed the judges, with Justin Metcalf, a World Barista judge, encouraging him to keep the same idea when competing for the world title in London in June.

"For my signature coffee, I got a piece of wood, about 40cm long, and I cut some holes that are the right size for some little glasses to sit in, and then I suspended above those glasses some muslin cloth," Callaghan explained. "I suspended above the muslin cloth some cardamom seeds and then I basically inserted my group handles, hit the espresso button and put the wooden contraption underneath the spouts.

"The espresso runs through the cardamom seeds, takes the cardamom flavour with it but leaves the cardamom seeds, so you get a cardamom infused espresso".

Callaghan, who sourced his competition coffee from places like Sumatra and Costa Rica, says that the Championships are all about where a barista's coffee comes from.

"That's what the heart of the Barista Competition is all about - using fresh, high-grade microlot coffees," he said.

Before heading to London for the World Championships, Callaghan will travel to Oslow, London and Denmark to learn from the best and spend time with previous World Barista Champions.

With over 14 years experience in the hospitality industry, Callaghan was the 2007 Australian Barista Champion and came 9th at the 2007 World Barista Championships.